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70
Chapter 70

Derek Woods

"Where are you coming from?" Dad rose to his feet as soon as I walked inside the living room. His eyes were blazing with anger.

"You didn't show up for dinner yesterday. What do you think you are doing?" He yelled at me again, and I rolled my eyes.

"I told you that I wasn't interested in having dinner with you. I guess you didn't get the message." I replied to him casually, tucking my hands inside my pockets.

"I told you to lay low, Derek. I told you to-"

"Come on, dad. It's not that I killed anyone..." I cut him off, rolling my eyes as I walked past him.

"Why are you here this early morning by the way?" I paused, turning back to face him.

"What is so important that made you come here this early, hmm?" I raised my eyebrows, and he clenched his jaws tightly, glaring hard at me.

"Let's talk." He muttered, sitting on the couch.

'I'm tired and not in the mood for this'.
I wanted to tell him, but changed my mind and decided to hear him out.

I walked over to sit on the couch across from him.

"What do you want to talk about, dad?" I looked straight into his eyes confidently.

"Did you make your decision yet?" He asked after a long silence.

"Decision? What decision?" I creased my eyebrows, feigning cluelessness even though I knew what he was talking about.

"About you moving to Poland. I already have everything prepared for you over there. The school you'll be attending, your house, cars, and-"

"I'm not moving to Poland." I cut him off with finality in my voice.

"Derek-"

"If that is all, I beg to excuse myself now." I cut him off as I shot to my feet.

"I am your father, and this is my decision." I had walked past him when he spoke up, bringing me to an abrupt halt. I huffed, my teeth finding their way to my lip as I bit on it.

"Let's not talk about this." And with that, I walked away, ignoring him as he called out to me. My mood was already in a mess, and I didn't want him to make it worse for me.

I threw myself on the bed as soon as I walked inside my room, exhaling deeply.

'You are going to be a brother, sweetheart'.
I groaned, sitting up on the bed as her words replayed in my head. I have always dreamt of having a sibling. Ever since I was a kid, I have admired seeing people play with their siblings, and I have always looked forward to having mine one day.
But now that I found out about her pregnancy, somehow, I wasn't happy about it. That child shouldn't have existed.

I picked up my phone and scrolled through it for what was not lost, but eventually tossed it aside before heading into the bathroom to shower.

As I headed back into my room minutes later, I was forced to stop on my track when I saw dad sitting on my bed and holding my phone.

"What the hell are you doing with my phone?" I snapped, snatching it from him.

"Did you go to see Stella?" He shot to his feet, his eyes blazing with rage.

"Did you go to see her after I told you to stay away from her?" He snapped at me, and I scoffed.

After mom left years ago, dad made sure that I didn't keep contact with her. He did everything, said everything to make me hate my mom.

'She is a bitch who doesn't deserve us, Derek. She doesn't deserve to be called your mom'
Those words were still fresh in my head as though he just said them to me a few minutes ago.
For four years, he kept me away from her. He almost succeeded in making me hate her, but thankfully, it didn't eventually happen.

"Why? Are you pained that even after how hard you tried to make me hate her, it didn't work out?" My lips curled up in a smirk as I locked eyes with him.

"What!"

"She is my mother! My fucking mom! You have no right whatsoever to tell me not to see her!" I yelled at him, and he flinched.

"Derek!"

"I've already had enough. Why don't you make it easy for me by leaving, hmm? I don't need you!"

"You ungrateful bastard!"
My eyes sparked as he sent a hot slap across my cheek.

"Are you going to treat me like this after everything I've done for you? I always clean up after you and this is what I get-"

"And who the fuck did you want to clean up after the mess you technically made?" I cut him off, and his face squinted.

I closed the distance between us, then grabbed his neck and slammed him hard against the wall.

"De...rek..." he choked as my grip around his neck tightened.

"Why do you think I'm keeping you alive?"

"De...r..." he gasped for breath, his eyes widening.

"That is because I still need you. You better make yourself useful if you don't want me to get rid of you..." I finally let go of him, and he coughed.

"Now, listen. You are cleaning after me because you have to. It is your responsibility. And you are doing this for your selfish interest. So just do your job and stop feeling so important." I snapped at him.

"Now, leave while I'm being nice." I turned away from him.

"You are going to regret this." And with that, he turned around and dashed out of my room, slamming the door hard behind him.

I exhaled, leaning over the dressing table in front of the mirror as I stared at my reflection.

My phone's ringing tone cut through the thick silence in the room, and I hesitantly reached for it. However, my face brightened with a smile the moment I saw that it was Scarlet...